"^
OONVERTEO
Little Flowers of St Benet
A Companion Volume to " Little Flowers of St Benet."
THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS OF
ASSISI. With 8 Illustrations by Paul Woodroffe.
Crown 8vo. 6s. net.
Also to be had bound in vellum and in French morocco.
Edition de Luxe of Thomas a Kempis.
THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. With a Frontispiece to
each Book, and Title-page, by Laurence Housman. All the
Illustrations engraved upon wood by Clemence Housman.
Printed at the Chiswick Press, on Arnold & Foster's hand-
made paper, and bound in vellum. Narrow Demy Svo.
15s. net.
Edition de Luxe of St Augustine.
THE CONFESSIONS OF ST AUGUSTINE. Books I.
to X. With Four Illustrations by Paul Woodroffe, and a
Title-page by Laurence Housman, all engraved upon wood
by Clemence Housman.
Printed at the Chiswick Press, on Arnold & Foster's hand-
made paper, and bound in vellum. Narrow Demy Svo.
15s. net.
LONDON :
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., Ltd.
THE LITTLE FLOWERS
OF SAINT BENET
GATHERED FROM THE
DIALOGUES OF SAINT
GREGORY THE GREAT
WITH EIGHT DRAWINGS
AND OTHER DESIGNS THROUGHOUT
BY PAUL WOODROFFE
LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH
TRUBNER & CO*
Mbccca'
o
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
Introduction .... 3
I. How Benet made a broken sieve whole
and sound .... 5
II. How he overcame a great temptation
of the Flesh . .11
III. How Benet, by the sign of the Cross,
brake a drinking-glass in pieces . 15
IV. How Benet reformed a monk that
would not stay at his prayers . 25
V. Of a fountain that sprang forth on the
top of a mountain, by the prayers of
the man of God .28
VI. How the iron head of a bill from the
bottom of the water returned to the
handle again . . -31
VII. How Maurus walked upon the water . 33
VIII, How a loaf was poisoned, and carried
far off by a crow 3^
IX. How venerable Benet, by his prayer,
removed a huge stone . 45
X. Of the fantastical fire which burned
the kitchen . , , -47
258536
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XL How venerable Benet revived a boy
crushed to death with the ruin of a
wall . . -49
XII. How, by revelation, venerable Benet
knew that his monks had eaten out
of the monastery . . • 5^
XIII. Of the brother of Valentinian the monk,
whom the man of God blamed for
eating on his journey . . 53
XIV. How the dissimulation of King Totila
was discovered and found out by
Venerable Benet . . 56
XV. How Venerable Benet prophesied to
King Totila, and also to the Bishop
of Canosa, such things as were after-
wards to fall out . . -59
XVI. Of a certain clergyman, whom Vener-
able Benet for a time delivered from
a devil . . . .62
XVII. How the man of God, Benet, did
foretell the suppression of one of his
own Abbeys . . .68
XVIII. How blessed Benet knew the hiding
away of a flagon of wine . . 70
XIX. How the man of God knew that one
of his monks had received certain
handkerchiefs ^ . . -72
Contents
XX. How holy Benet knew the proud
thought of one of his monks . 74
XXI. Of two hundred bushels of meal found
before the man of God's cell . 76
XXII. How, by vision, Venerable Benet dis-
posed the building of the Abbey of
Terracina . . . -79
XXIII. Of certain nuns absolved after their
death . . . -83
XXIV. Of a boy that, after his burial, was
cast out of his grave . . .88
XXV. How a Monk, forsaking the Abbey,
met with a dragon in the way 90
XXVI. How holy Benet cured a boy of the
leprosy . . . -92
XXVII. How Benet found money miraculously
to relieve a poor man . 93
XXVIII. How a cruet of glass was thrown upon
the stones, and not broken . 95
XXIX. How an empty barrel was filled with
oil . -97
XXX. How Benet delivered a Monk from
a devil . . . -99
XXXI. Of a country fellow, that, with the
only sight of the man of God was
loosed from his bonds .102
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XXXII. How by prayer Venerable Benet
raised up a dead child . . io6
XXXIII, Of a miracle wrought by his Sister
Scholastica .... 109
XXXIV. How Benet saw the soul of his Sister
ascend into Heaven . . • "3
XXXV. How he saw the whole world repre-
sented before his eyes ; and also the
soul of Germanus, Bishop of Capua,
ascending to Heaven . .114
XXXVI. How holy Benet wrote a rule for his
monks . . .119
XXXVII. How Venerable Benet did prophesy
to his monks the time of his own
death .... 120
XXXVIII. How a mad woman was cured in his
cave ..... 123
List of Illustrations
PAGE
How St Benet passed away in his oratory Frontispiece
How St Benet made a broken sieve whole f^"ng 6
How Brother Maurus walked on the water and
saved Brother Placidus . . . ,, 34
St Benet commands the crow to carry away the
poisoned loaf . . . • ?> 38
How St Benet quenched the fantastical fire . ,,48
How St Benet discovered the deception of King
Totila . . . . . ,, 56
How the devil disguised as a physician met St
Benet . . . . . ,, 100
How St Benet discoursed for the last time with
St Scholastica . . . . ,, no
Publisher's Note
St Benedict was born at Nursia, near Spoleto, in 480,
and died on March 21, 543. His biography, as here
printed, is taken from the second of the four books of
"The Dialogues of S. Gregorie, sumamed the Great,
Pope of Rome, and the first of that name. Translated
into our English tongue, by P. W. Printed at Paris,
1608." The translator, P. W., has not been identified,
though his version was twice reprinted during the last
century. The present text follows that of the 1608
Edition, with which it has been collated, except in its
spelling and the correction of one or two misprints.
Little Flowers of St Benet
Introduction
There was a man of venerable life, blessed
by grace, and blessed in name — for he was
called Benedictus, or Benet — who, from
his younger years, carried always the mind
of an old man ; for his age was inferior to
his virtue. All vain pleasure he contemned ;
and though he were in the world, and might
freely have enjoyed such commodities as it
yieldeth, yet did he nothing esteem it, nor
the vanities thereof. He was born in the
province of Nursia, of honourable parent-
age, and brought up at Rome in the study
of Humanity.
But, forasmuch as he saw many by
reason of such learning to fall to dis-
solute and lewd life, he drew back his
foot, which he had, as it were, now set
3
Little Flowers
forth into the world, lest entering too
far into acquaintance therewith, he like-
wise might have fallen into that danger-
ous and godless gulf. Wherefore, giving
over his books and forsaking his father's
house and wealth, with a resolute mind
only to serve God, he sought for some
place where he might attain to the de-
sire of his holy purpose : and in this
sort he departed, instructed with learned
ignorance, and furnished with unlearned
wisdom. All the notable things and acts
of his life I could not learn ; but those few
which I mind now to report, I had by the
relation of four of his disciples, to wit, of
Constantinus, a most rare and reverend
man, who was next abbot after him ; of
Valentinianus, who many years had the
charge of the Lateran Abbey ; of Simpli-
cius, who was the third General of his
Order; and lastly, of Honoratus, who is
now abbot of that monastery in which he
first began his holy life.
of St Benet
Chapter I
How he made a broken sieve whole
and sound
Benet, having now given over the school,
with a resolute mind to lead his life in the
wilderness, his nurse alone, which did ten-
derly love him, would not by any means
give him over. Coming, therefore, to a
place called Enside, and remaining there
in the Church of St Peter in the company
of other virtuous men, which for charity
lived in that place, it fell so out that his
nurse borrowed of the neighbours a sieve
to make clean wheat, which, being left
negligently upon the table, by chance it
was broken in two pieces ; whereupon she
fell pitifully aweeping, because she had
borrowed it. The devout and religious
youth Benet, seeing his nurse so lament-
ing, moved with compassion, took away
Little Flowers
with him both the pieces of the sieve,
and with tears fell to his prayers ; and
after he had done, rising up, he found it so
whole that the place could not be seen
where before it was broken ; and coming
straight to his nurse, and comforting her
with good words, he delivered her the
sieve safe and sound ; which miracle was
known to all the inhabitants thereabouts,
and so much admired that the townsmen,
for a perpetual memory, did hang it up at
the Church door, to the end that not only
men then living, but also their posterity,
might understand how greatly God's grace
did work with him upon his first renouncing
of the world. The sieve continued there
many years after, even to these very
troubles of the Lombards, where it did
hang over the Church door.
But Benet, desiring rather the miseries
of the world than the praises of men, rather
to be wearied with labour for God's sake
than to be exalted with transitory com-
mendation, fled privily from his nurse, and
went into a desert place, called Subiaco,
of St Benet
distant almost forty miles from Rome, in
which there was a fountain springing forth
cool and clear water, the abundance where-
of doth first in a broad place make a lake,
and afterwards, running forward, cometh
to be a river. As he was travelling to
this place, a certain monk, called Romanus,
met him, and demanded whither he went ;
and, understanding his purpose, he both
kept it close, furthered him what he might,
vested him with the habit of holy con-
versation, and, as he could, did minister
and serve him.
The man of God, Benet, coming to this
aforesaid place, lived there in a strait cave,
where he continued three years, unknown
to all men except to Romanus, who lived
not far off, under the rule of Abbot Adeo-
datus, and very virtuously did steal certain
hours, and likewise sometimes a loaf given
for his own provision, which he did carry
to Benet. And because from Romanus'
cell to that cave there was not any way,
by reason of an high rock which did hang
over it, Romanus, from the top thereof
8 Little Flowers
upon a long rope, did let down the loaf,
upon which also with a band he tied a little
bell, that by the ringing thereof the man of
God might know when he came with his
bread, and so be ready to take it ; but the
old enemy of mankind, envying at the
charity of the one and the refection of the
other, seeing a loaf upon a certain day let
down, threw a stone, and brake the bell ;
but yet, for all that, Romanus gave not
over to serve him by all the possible means
he could.
At length, when Almighty God was de-
termined to ease Romanus of his pains, and
to have Benet's life for an example known
to the world, that such a candle, set upon
a candlestick, might shine and give light
to the Church of God, our Lord vouchsafed
to appear unto a certain priest dwelling a
good way off, who had made ready his
dinner for Easter Day, and spake thus unto
him : " Thou hast provided good cheer for
" thyself, and My servant in such a place is
" afflicted with hunger ; " who, hearing this,
forthwith rose up, and upon Easter Day
of St Benet
itself, with such meat as he had prepared,
went to the place, where he sought for the
man of God amongst the steep hills, the
low valleys, and hollow pits, and at length
found him in his cave, where, after they
had prayed together, and sitting down, had
given God thanks, and had much spiritual
talk, then the priest said unto him : " Rise
" up, brother, and let us dine, because to-day
" is the feast of Easter." To whom the man
of God answered, and said : " I know that
" it is Easter with me, and a great feast,
" having found so much favour at God's
" hands as this day to enjoy your company "
(for by reason of his long absence from men,
he knew not that it was the great solem-
nity of Easter) ; but the reverend priest
again did assure him, saying : " Verily, to-
" day is the feast of our Lord's Resurrec-
" tion ; and therefore meet it is not that
" you should keep abstinence ; and besides,
" I am sent to that end that we might eat
" together of such provisions as God's good-
" ness hath sent us." Whereupon they said
grace and fell to their meat ; and after they
10 Little Flowers
had dined, and bestowed some time in
talking, the priest returned to his Church.
About the same time, likewise, certain
shepherds found him in that same cave :
and at the first, when they espied him
through the bushes, and saw his apparel
made of skins, they verily thought that it
had been some beast : but after they were
acquainted with the servant of God, many
of them were, by his means, converted from
their beastly life to grace, piety, and devo-
tion. And thus his name in the country
thereabout became famous, and many, after
this, went to visit him, and for corporal
meat, which they brought him, they carried
away spiritual food for their souls.
of St Benet U
Chapter 11
How he overcame a great Temptation
of the Flesh
Upon a certain day, being alone, the
tempter was at hand : for a little black
bird, commonly called a merle, or an
ousel, began to fly about his face, and
that so near as the holy man, if he would,
might have taken it with his hand : but
after he had blessed himself with the sign
of the cross the bird flew away : and forth-
with the holy man was assaulted with such
a terrible temptation of the flesh as he
never felt the like in all his life.
A certain woman there was, which some
time he had seen, the memory of which
the wicked spirit put into his mind, and by
the representation of her did so mightily
inflame with concupiscence the soul of
God's servant, which did so increase, that
12 Little Flowers
almost overcome with pleasure he was of
mind to have forsaken the wilderness. But,
suddenly assisted with God's grace, he came
to himself; and seeing many thick briers
and nettle-bushes to grow hard by, off he
cast his apparel, and threw himself into the
midst of them, and there wallowed so long,
that when he rose up all his flesh was piti-
fully torn : and so by the wounds of his body
he cured the wound of his soul, in that he
turned pleasure into pain, and by the out-
ward burning of extreme smart, quenched
that fire which, being nourished before with
the fuel of carnal cogitations, did inwardly
burn in his soul : and by this means he
overcame the sin because he made a change
of the fire. From which time forward, as
himself did afterward report unto his dis-
ciples, he found all temptation of pleasure
so subdued, that he never felt any such
thing.
Many after this began to abandon the
world, and to become his scholars. For
being now freed from the malady of temp-
tation, worthily and with great reason is
of St Benet J 3
he made a master of virtue : for which
cause, in Exodus, commandment is given
by Moses, that the Levites from five-and-
twenty years and upward should serve,
but after they came to fifty that they
should be ordained keepers of the holy
vessels.
Peter. — Somewhat I understand of all
this testimony alleged : but yet I beseech
you to tell me the meaning thereof more
fully.
Gregory. — It is plain, Peter, that in
youth the temptation of the flesh is hot :
but after fifty years the heat of the body
waxeth cold, and the souls of faithful
people become holy vessels. Wherefore
necessary it is that God's elect servants,
whilst they are yet in the heat of temp-
tation, should live in obedience, serve, and
be wearied with labour and pains. But
when, by reason of age, the heat of temp-
tation is past, they become keepers of holy
vessels ; because they then are made the
doctors of men's souls.
Peter. — I cannot deny but that your
14
Little Flowers
words have given me full satisfaction :
wherefore, seeing you have now explained
the meaning of the former text alleged,
prosecute, I pray, as you have begun, the
rest of the holy man's life.
of St Benet 15
Qiapter III
How Benett by the sign of the holy-
Cross^ brake a drinking-glass in
pieces
Gregory, — When this great temptation
was thus overcome, the man of God, like
unto a piece of ground well tilled and
weeded, of the seed of virtue brought forth
plentiful store of fruit : and by reason of
the great report of his wonderful holy life,
his name became very famous. Not far
from the place where he remained there
was a monastery, the Abbot whereof was
dead : whereupon the whole Convent came
unto the venerable man, Benet, entreating
him very earnestly that he would vouch-
safe to take upon him the charge and
government of their Abbey : long time he
denied them, saying that their manners
16 Little Flowers
were diverse from his, and therefore that
they should never agree together; yet at
length, overcome with their entreaty, he
gave his consent. Having now taken upon
him the charge of the Abbey, he took
order that regular life should be observed,
so that none of them could, as before they
used, through unlawful acts decline from
the path of holy conversation, either on
the one side or on the other : which the
monks perceiving, they fell into a great
rage, accusing themselves that ever they
desired him to be their abbot, seeing their
crooked conditions could not endure his
virtuous kind of government: and there-
fore when they saw that under him they
could not live in unlawful sort, and were
loath to leave their former conversation,
and found it hard to be enforced with old
minds to meditate and think upon new
things, and because the life of virtuous
men is always grievous to those that be
of wicked conditions, some of them began
to devise how they might rid him out of
the way : and therefore, taking counsel
of St Benct \7
together, they agreed to poison his wine :
which being done, and the glass wherein
that wine was, according to the custom,
offered to the Abbot to bless, he, putting
forth his hand, made the sign of the cross,
and straightway the glass, that was holden
far off, brake in pieces, as though the sign
of the cross had been a stone thrown
against it : upon which accident the man
of God by-and-by perceived that the glass
had in it the drink of death, which could
not endure the sign of life : and therefore
rising up, with a mild countenance and
quiet mind he called the monks together,
and spake thus unto them : " Almighty
" God have mercy upon you, and forgive
"you: why have you used me in this
" manner ? Did not I tell you beforehand,
"that our manner of living could never
" agree together ? Go your ways, and seek
" ye out some other Father suitable to your
" own conditions, for I intend not now to
" stay any longer amongst you."
When he had thus discharged himself,
he returned back to the wilderness which
B
18 Little Flowers
he so much loved, and dwelt alone with
himself, in the sight of his Creator, Who
beholdeth the hearts of all men.
Peter. — I understand not very well
what you mean, when you say that he
dwelt with himself.
Gregory. — If the holy man had longer,
contrary to his own mind, continued his
government over those monks, who had all
conspired against him, and were far unlike
to him in life and conversation, perhaps he
should have diminished his own devotion,
and somewhat withdrawn the eyes of his
soul from the light of contemplation ; and
being weary daily with correcting of their
faults, he should have had the less care of
himself, and so haply it might have fallen
out that he should both have lost himself,
and yet not found them : for so often as
by infectious motion we are carried too
far from ourselves, we remain the same
men that we were before, and yet be not
with ourselves as we were before : because
we are wandering about other men's affairs,
little considering and looking into the
of St Benct 19
state of our own soul. For shall we say
that he was with himself, who went into a
far country, and after he had, as we read
in the Gospel,^ prodigally spent that por-
tion which he received of his father, was
glad to serve a citizen, to keep his hogs,
and would willingly have filled his hungry
belly with the husks which they did eat ?
who notwithstanding, afterward when he
thought with himself of those goods which
he had lost, it is written of him, that return-
ing into himself, he said : " How many hired
"men in my father's house do abound with
"bread ! " If, then, before he were with him-
self, from whence did he return home unto
himself? and therefore I said that this
venerable man did dwell with himself,
because, carrying himself circumspectly
and carefully in the sight of his Creator,
always considering his own actions, always
examining himself, never did he turn the
eyes of his soul from himself to behold
aught else whatsoever.
Peter. — Why, then, is it written of the
1 St Luke XV.
20 Little Flowers
Apostle, St Peter, after he was by the
Angel delivered out of prison, that return-
ing to himself, he said : " Now I know
" verily, that our Lord has sent His Angel,
"and hath delivered me from the hands
"of Herod, and from all the expectation
" of the people of the Jews ? " ^
Gregory. — We are two manner of ways,
Peter, carried out of ourselves : for either we
fall under ourselves by sinful cogitation, or
else we are, by the grace of contemplation,
lifted above ourselves : for he that kept
hogs, through wandering of his mind and
unclean thoughts fell under himself: but he
whom the Angel delivered out of prison,
being also rapt by the Angel into an
ecstasy, was in truth out of himself, but yet
above himself. Both of them, therefore,
did return unto themselves ; the one when
he recollected himself, and forsook his lewd
kind of life ; and the other from the top of
contemplation to have that usual judgment
and understanding which before he had :
wherefore venerable Benet in that soli-
^ Acts xii.
of St Bcnet 2J
tary wilderness dwelt with himself, because
he kept himself, and retired his cogitations
within the closet of his own soul : for
when the greatness of contemplation rapt
him up aloft, out of all question he did
then leave himself under himself.
Peter. — Your discourse doth very well
content me, yet I beseech you to answer
me this question ; whether he could in
conscience give over those monks, whose
government he had now taken upon him ?
Gregory. — In mine opinion, Peter, evil
men may with good conscience be toler-
ated in that community where there be
some good that may be holpen, and reap
commodity. But where there be none good
at all, that may receive spiritual profit,
oftentimes all labour is lost that is bestowed
in bringing of such to good order, especi-
ally if other occasions be offered of doing
God presently better service elsewhere : for
whose good, then, should the holy man
have expected, seeing them all to persecute
him with one consent ? and (that which is
not to be passed over with silence) those
22 Little Flowers
that be perfect carry always this mind, that
when they perceive their labour to be fruit-
less in one place, to remove straight to
another, where more good may be done.
And for this cause, that notable preacher
of the world, who was desirous to be dis-
solved, and to be with Christ, unto whom
" to live is Christ ; and to die is gain," ^ and
who not only desired himself to suffer per-
secution, but did also animate and en-
courage others to suffer the same, yet being
himself in persecution at Damascus, got a
rope and a basket to pass over the wall,
and was privily let down. What then ?
shall we say that Paul was afraid of death,
whenas himself said that he desired it for
Christ's sake ? No so : but when he per-
ceived that in that place little good was to
be done by great labour, he reserved him-
self to further labour, where more fruit
and better success might be expected : and
therefore the valiant soldier of Christ would
not be kept within walls, but sought for a
larger field where he might more freely
^ Philipp. i. 21.
of St Benet 23
labour for his Master. And so, in like
manner, you shall quickly perceive, if you
mark well, that venerable Benet forsook
not so many in one place, that were un-
willing to be taught, as he did in sundry
other places raise up from the death of
soul many more that were willing to be
instructed.
Peter. — It is so as you say, and plain
reason teacheth it, and the example of St
Paul doth confirm it. But I beseech you
to return unto your former purpose, and to
prosecute the life of the holy man.
Gregory. — Whenas God's servant daily
increased in virtue, and became continually
more famous for miracles, many were by
him in the same place drawn to the service
of Almighty God, so that by Christ's assist-
ance he built there twelve Abbeys, over
which he appointed governors, and in each
of them he placed twelve monks; and a
few he kept with himself, namely, such as
he thought would more profit, and be better
instructed by his own presence. At that
time, also, many noble and religious men
24
Little Flowers
of Rome came unto him, and committed
their children to be brought up under him,
for the service of God. Then also ^Equitius
delivered him Maurus, and Tertullus the
Senator brought Placidus, being their sons
of great hope and towardness, of which
two, Maurus, growing to great virtue, began
to be his master's coadjutor ; but Placidus,
as yet, was but a boy of tender years.
of St Benct 25
Chapter IV
How Benet reformed a monk that
would not stay at his prayers
In one of the monasteries which he had
built in those parts, a monk there was
which could not continue at prayers ; for
when the other monks knelt down to serve
God, his manner was to go forth, and there
with wandering mind to busy himself about
some earthly and transitory things. And
when he had been often by his Abbot ad-
monished of this fault without any amend-
ment, at length he was sent to the man
of God, who did likewise very much rebuke
him for his folly; yet notwithstanding,
returning back again, he did scarce two
days follow the holy man's admonition ;
for upon the third day he fell again to
his old custom, and would not abide within
26 Little Flowers
at the time of prayer ; word whereof being
once more sent to the man of God, by the
father of the Abbey whom he had there
appointed, he returned him answer that he
would come himself and reform what was
amiss which he did accordingly, and it so
fell out that when the singing of psalms
was ended, and the hour come in which
the monks betook themselves to prayer,
the holy man perceived that the monk,
which used at that time to go forth, was
by a little black boy drawn out by the
skirt of his garment, upon which sight he
spake secretly to Pompeianus, father of the
Abbey, and also to Maurus, saying : " Do
"you not see who it is that draweth this
" monk from his prayers ? " and they
answered him that they did not. "Then
" let us pray," quoth he, "that you also may
" behold whom this monk doth follow ; "
and after two days Maurus did see him,
but Pompeianus could not. Upon another
day, when the man of God had ended his
devotions, he went out of the oratory, where
he found the aforesaid monk standing idle,
of St Bcnet
27
whom for the blindness of his heart he
struck with a little wand, and from that
day forward he was so freed from all
allurement of the little black boy, that he
remained quietly at his prayers, as others
of the monks did, for the old enemy was
so terrified, that he durst not any more
suggest any such cogitations : as though
by that blow not the monk, but himself
had been stricken.
28 Little Flowers
Qiapter V
Of a Fountain that sprung forth on
the top of a Mountain, by the
prayers of the man of God
Amongst the monasteries which he had
built in those parts, three of them were
situate upon the rocks of a mountain ; so
that very painful it was for the monks to
go down and fetch water, especially because
the side of the hill was so steep that there
was great fear of danger; and therefore
the monks of those Abbeys with one con-
sent came unto the servant of God, Benet,
giving him to understand how laborious it
was for them daily to go down unto the
lake for water : and therefore they added
that it was very necessary to have them
removed to some other places. The man
of St Bcnet 29
of God, comforting them with sweet words,
caused them to return back again ; and the
next night, having with him only the little
boy Placidus (of whom we spake before),
he ascended up to the rock of that moun-
tain, and continued there a long time in
prayer : and when he had done, he took
three stones and laid them in the same
place for a mark ; and so, none of them
being privy to that he had done, he re-
turned back to his own Abbey, and the
next day, when the aforesaid monks came
again about their former business, he said
thus unto them : "Go your way to the rock,
"and in the place where you find three
" stones laid one upon another, dig a little
"hole, for Almighty God is able to bring
" forth water in the top of that mountain,
"and so to ease you of that great labour
"which you take in fetching it so far."
Away they went, and came to the rock of
that mountain according to his direction,
which they found, as it were, sweating
drops of water, and after they had with
a spade made an hollow place, it was
30
Little Flowers
straightway filled, and water flowed out
so abundantly, that it doth plentifully,
even to this day, spring out and run down
from the top to the very bottom of that
hill.
of St Benet 31
Chapter VI
How the iron head of a bill from the
bottom of the Water returned to
the handle again
At another time, a certain Goth, poor of
spirit, that gave over the world, was re-
ceived by the man of God, whom one day-
he commanded to take a bill, and to cleanse
a certain plot of ground from briers, for the
making of a garden ; which ground was by
the side of a lake. The Goth, as he was
there labouring, by chance the head of the
bill slipped off, and fell into the water,
which was so deep that there was no hope
ever to get it again. The poor Goth, in
great fear, ran unto Maurus, and told him
what he had lost, confessing his own fault
and negligence. Maurus forthwith went to
the servant of God, giving him to under-
stand thereof, who came straightway to the
32
Little Flowers
lake, and took the handle out of the Goth's
hand, and put it into the water, and the
iron head, by-and-by, ascended from the
bottom and entered into the handle of the
bill, which he delivered to the Goth, say-
ing : " Behold, here is thy bill again, work
" on and be sad no more."
of St Benct 33
Chapter VII
How Maurus walked upon the water
On a certain day, as venerable Benet was
in his cell, the aforesaid young Placidus,
the holy man's monk, went out to take up
water at the lake, and putting down his
pail, carelessly, fell in himself after it, whom
the water forthwith carried away from the
land so far as one may shoot an arrow.
The man of God, being in his cell, by-and-
by knew this, and called in haste for
Maurus, saying : " Brother Maurus, run as
" fast as you can, for Placidus, that went
" to the lake to fetch water, is fallen in, and
" is carried a good way off." A strange
thing, and since the time of Peter the
Apostle never heard of! Maurus, craving
his father's blessing, and departing in all
haste at his commandment, ran to the
place upon the water, to which the young
C
34 Little Flowers
lad was carried by force thereof, thinking
that he had all that while gone upon the
land : and taking fast hold of him by the
hair of his head, in all haste he returned
back again : and so soon as he was at land,
coming to himself, he looked behind him,
and then knew very well that he had
before run upon the water : and that which
before he durst not have presumed, being
now done and past, he both marvelled, and
was afraid at that which he had done.
Coming back to the father, and telling him
what had happened, the venerable man
did not attribute this to his own merits
but to the obedience of Maurus : but
Maurus, on the contrary, said that it was
done only upon his commandment, and
that he had nothing to do in that miracle,
not knowing at that time what he did.
But the friendly contention proceeding of
mutual humility, the young youth himself
that was saved from drowning did deter-
mine : for he said that he saw when he
was drawn out of the water, the Abbot's
garment upon his head, affirming that it
of St Bcnet
35
was he that had delivered him from that
great danger.
Peter. — Certainly they be wonderful
things which you report, and such as may
serve for the edification of many : for mine
own part, the more that I hear of his
miracles, the more do I still desire.
36 Little Flowers
Chapter Vm
How a loaf was poisoned, and carried
far off by a crow
Whenas the aforesaid monasteries were
zealous in the love of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and their fame dispersed far and
near, and many gave over the secular life,
and subdued the passions of their soul
under the light yoke of our Saviour, then
(as the manner of wicked people is to envy
at that virtue which themselves desire not
to follow), one Florentius, priest of a church
hard by, and grandfather to Florentius,
our sub-deacon, possessed with diabolical
malice, began to envy the holy man's
virtues, to backbite his manner of living,
and to withdraw as many as he could from
going to visit him ; and when he saw that
he could not hinder his virtuous proceed-
ings, but that, on the contrary, the fame
of St Bcnet 37
of his holy life increased, and many daily,
upon the very report of his sanctity, did
betake themselves to a better state of life :
burning more and more with the coals of
envy, he became far worse ; and though he
desired not to imitate his commendable
life, yet fain he would have had the re-
putation of his virtuous conversation. In
conclusion, so much did malicious envy
blind him, and so far did he wade in that
sin, that he poisoned a loaf, and sent it
to the servant of Almighty God, as it were
for an holy present. The man of God
received it with great thanks, yet not ignor-
ant of that which was hidden within. At
dinner-time, a crow daily used to come
unto him from the next wood, which took
bread at his hands ; coming that day after
his manner, the man of God threw him the
loaf which the priest had sent him, giving
him this charge : " In the Name of Jesus
" Christ, our Lord, take up that loaf, and
" leave it in some such place where no man
" m.ay find it." Then the crow, opening
his mouth, and lifting up his wings, began
38 Little Flowers
to hop up and down about the loaf, and
after his manner to cry out, as though he
would have said that he was willing to
obey, and yet could not do what he was
commanded. The man of God again and
again bade him, saying : " Take it up with-
" out fear, and throw it where no man may
" find it." At length, with much ado, the
crow took it up and flew away ; and after
three hours, having despatched the loaf,
he returned back again, and received his
usual allowance from the man of God.
But the venerable father perceiving the
priest so wickedly bent against his life,
was far more sorry for him than grieved
for himself. And Florentius, seeing that
he could not kill the body of the master,
laboureth now what he can to destroy the
souls of his disciples ; and for that purpose
he sent into the yard of the abbey before
their eyes seven naked young women,
which did there take hands together, play,
and dance a long time before them : to the
end that by this means they might inflame
their minds to sinful lust : which damnable
of St Benet 39
sight the holy man beholding out of his
cell, and fearing the danger which thereby
might ensue to his younger monks, and
considering that all this was done only for
the persecuting of himself, he gave place
to envy ; and therefore, after he had for
those abbeys and oratories which he had
there built appointed governors, and left
some under their charge, himself, in the
company of a few monks, removed to
another place.
And thus the man of God, upon humility,
gave place to the other's malice ; but yet
Almighty God of justice did severely pun-
ish his wickedness. For when the afore-
said priest, being in his chamber under-
stood of the departure of holy Benet, and
was very glad of that news, behold (the
whole house besides continuing safe and
sound) that chamber alone in which he
was fell down, and so killed him : which
strange accident the holy man's disciple,
Maurus, understanding, straightway sent
him word, he being as yet scarce ten miles
off, desiring him to return again, because
40 Little Flowers
the priest that did persecute him was
slain ; which thing when Benet heard,
he was passing sorrowful, and lamented
much, both because his enemy died in
such sort, and also for that one of his
monks rejoiced thereat, and therefore he
gave him penance, for that sending such
news, he presumed to rejoice at his enemy's
death.
Peter. — The things you report be
strange, and much to be wondered at : for
in making the well to yield forth water, I
see Moses ; and in the iron which came
from the bottom of the lake I behold
Eliseus ; in the walking of Maurus upon
the water I perceive Peter ; in the obedi-
ence of the crow I contemplate Elias ; and
in the lamenting the death of his enemy
I acknowledge David ; and therefore, in
mine opinion, this one man was full of
the spirit of all good men.
Gregory. — The man of God, Benet,
had the spirit of the One true God, Who,
by the grace of our redemption, hath filled
the hearts of His elect servants ; of Whom
of St Benct 41
St John saith : " He was the true Light,
"which doth lighten every man coming into
"this world." ^ Of Whom again we find
it written : " Of His fulness we have all
" received." ^ For God's holy servants
might receive virtues of our Lord, but to
bestow them upon others they could not ;
and therefore it was He that gave the signs
of miracles to His servants, Who promised
to give the sign of Jonas to His enemies : ^
so that He vouchsafed to die in the sight
of the proud, and to rise again before the
eyes of the humble : to the end that they
might behold what they contemned, and
thus see that which they ought to worship
and love : by reason of which mystery it
cometh to pass that whereas the proud
cast their eyes upon the contempt of His
Death, the humble contrariwise, against
death, lay hold of the glory of His power
and might.
Peter. — To what places, I pray you,
after this, did the holy man go : and
1 St John i. ' St John i.
2 St Matt. vii. 20.
42 Little Flowers
whether did he afterwards in them work
any miracles, or no ?
Gregory. — The holy man, changing
his place, did not, for all that, change his
enemy. For afterwards he endured so
much the more grievous battles, by how
much he had now the Master of all wicked-
ness fighting openly against him. For
the town, which is called Cassino, standeth
upon the side of an high mountain, which
containeth, as it were in the lap thereof,
the aforesaid town, and afterward so riseth
in height for the space of three miles, that
the top thereof seemeth to touch the very
heavens : in this place there was an ancient
chapel in which the foolish and simple
country people, according to the custom
of the old Gentiles, worshipped the god
Apollo. Round about it likewise upon all
sides there were woods for the service of
the devils, in which, even to that very time,
the mad multitude of infidels did offer
most wicked sacrifice. The man of God
coming thither, beat in pieces the idol, over-
threw the altar, set fire to the woods, and
of St Benct 43
in the temple of Apollo he built the
oratory of St Martin : and where the altar
of the same Apollo was he made an oratory
of St John : and by his continual preaching
he brought the people dwelling in those
parts to embrace the faith of Christ. The
old enemy of mankind, not taking this
in good part, did, not now privily or in a
dream, but in open sight, present himself
to the eyes of that holy father, and with
great outcries complained that he had
offered him violence. The noise which he
made the monks did hear, but himself they
could not see : but as the venerable father
told them he appeared visibly unto him
most fell and cruel, and as though, with
his fiery mouth and flaming eyes, he would
have torn him in pieces : what the devil
said unto him all the monks did hear;
for first he would call him by his name,
and because the man of God vouchsafed
him not any answer, then would he fall a
reviling and railing at him : for when he
cried out, calling him " Blessed Benet "
and yet found that he gave him no answer,
44
Little Flowers
straightway he would turn his tune, and
say : " Cursed Benet, and not blessed :
" what hast thou to do with me ? and why
" dost thou thus persecute me ? " Where-
fore new battles of the old enemy against
the servant of God are to be looked for,
against whom willingly did he make war,
but against his will did he give him occasion
of many notable victories.
of St Benet 45
Chapter IX
How Venerable Benet, by his prayer,
removed a huge stone
Upon a certain day, when the monks were
building up the cells of the same Abbey,
there lay a stone which they meant to em-
ploy about that business : and when two
or three were not able to remove it, they
called for more company ; but all in vain,
for it remained so immovable as though it
had grown to the very earth ; whereby
they plainly perceived that the devil him-
self did sit upon it, seeing so many men's
hands could not so much as once move it :
wherefore, finding that their own labours
could do nothing, they sent for the man
of God, to help them with his prayers
against the devil, who hindered the remov-
46
Little Flowers
ing of that stone. The holy man came :
and after some praying he gave it his
blessing, and then they carried it away so
quickly as though it had been of no weight
at all.
of St Benet 47
Chapter X
Of the Fantastical Fire, which burned
the Kitchen
Then the man of God thought good that
they should presently before his departure
dig up the ground in the same place ;
which being done, and a deep hole made,
the monks found there an idol of brass,
which being for a little while by chance
cast into the kitchen, they beheld fire
suddenly to come from it, which to all
their sight seemed to set the whole kitchen
on fire : for the quenching whereof, the
monks by casting on of water made such
a noise, that the man of God hearing it
came to see what the matter was : and
himself beholding not any fire at all, which
they said that they did, he bowed down his
head forthwith to his prayers ; and then
he perceived that they were deluded with
48
Little Flowers
fantastical fire ; and therefore bade them
bless their eyes, that they might behold
the kitchen safe and sound, and not those
fantastical flames which the devil had
falsely devised.
of St Benet 49
Chapter XI
How Venerable Benet revived a boy-
crushed to death with the ruin of
a wall
Again, as the monks were making of a
certain wall somewhat higher, because that
was requisite, the man of God in the mean-
time was in his cell at his prayers. To
whom the old enemy appeared in an in-
sulting manner, telling him, that he was
now going to his monks, that were awork-
ing ; whereof the man of God in all haste
gave them warning, wishing them to look
unto themselves, because the devil was at
that time coming amongst them. The
message was scarce delivered, whenas the
wicked spirit overthrew the new wall which
they were abuilding, and with the fall slew
a little young child, a monk, who was the
son of a certain courtier. At which pitiful
D
50 Little Flowers
chance all were passing sorry and exceed-
ingly grieved, not so much for the loss of
the wall, as for the death of their brother :
and in all haste they sent the heavy news
to the venerable man Benet; who com-
manded them to bring unto him the young
boy, mangled and maimed as he was: which
they did, but yet they could not carry him
any otherwise than in a sack : for the stones
of the wall had not only broken his limbs,
but also his very bones. Being in that
manner brought unto the man of God, he
bade them to lay him in his cell, and in that
place upon which he used to pray ; and
then putting them all forth, he shut the
door, and fell more instantly to his prayers
than he used at other times. And O
strange miracle ! for the very same hour
he made him sound, and as lively as ever
he was before ; and sent him again to his
former work, that he also might help
the monks to make an end of that wall,
of whose death the old serpent thought
he should have insulted over Benet, and
greatly triumphed.
of St Bcnet 51
Chapter XII
How by revelation Venerable Benet
knew that his Monks had eaten
out of the Monastery
Among other miracles which the man of
God did, he began also to be famous for
the spirit of prophecy : as to foretell what
was to happen, and to relate unto them
that were present such things as were done
in his absence. The order of his Abbey
was, when the monks went abroad (to
deliver any message) never to eat or drink
anything out of their cloister : and this
being diligently observed, according to the
prescription of their rule, upon a certain
day, some of the monks went forth upon
such business : and being enforced about
the despatch thereof to tarry somewhat
long abroad, it so fell out that they stayed
at the house of a religious woman, where
52 Little Flowers
they did eat and refresh themselves. And
being late before they came back to the
Abbey, they went, as the manner was, and
asked their father's blessing : of whom he
demanded where they had eaten, and they
said " nowhere." " Why do you (quoth he),
" tell an untruth ? for did you not go into
" such a woman's house, and eat such and
" such kind of meat, and drink so many
" cups ? " When they heard him recount so
in particular, both where they had stayed,
what kind of meat they had eaten, and
how often they had drunk ; and perceived
well that he knew all whatsoever they had
done, they fell down trembling at his feet,
and confessed that they had done wickedly :
who straightway pardoned them for that
fault, persuading himself that they would
not any more in his absence presume to do
any such thing, seeing they now perceived
that he was present with them in spirit.
of St Benet 53
Chapter XIII
Of the brother of Valentinian the
monk, whom the man of God
blamed for eating in his journey
A BROTHER also of Valentinian the monk,
of whom I made mention before, was a lay-
man, but devout and religious : who used
every year, as well to desire the prayers of
God's servant, as also to visit his natural
brother, to travel from his own house to
the Abbey : and his manner was, not to
eat anything all that day before he came
thither. Being therefore, upon a time, in
his journey, he lighted into the company
of another that carried meat about him to
eat by the way : who, after the day was well
spent, spake unto him in this manner :
" Come, brother (quoth he), let us refresh
" ourselves, that we faint not in our jour-
" ney : " to whom he answered : " God for-
54 Little Flowers
" bid : for eat I will not by any means,
" seeing I am now going to the venerable
" father, Benet, and my custom is to fast
" until I see him." The other, upon this
answer, said no more for the space of an
hour : but afterwards, having travelled a
little further, again he was in hand with
him to eat something : yet then likewise
he utterly refused, because he meant to go
through fasting as he was. His companion
was content, and so went forward with him,
without taking anything himself But
when they had now gone very far and
were well wearied with long travelling, at
length they came unto a meadow, where
there was a fountain, and all such other
pleasant things as use to refresh men's
bodies.
Then his companion said to him again :
" Behold here is water, a green meadow,
" and a very sweet place, in which we may
"refresh ourselves, and rest a little, that
"we may be the better able to despatch
" the rest of our journey ; " which kind
words bewitching his ears, and the pleasant
of St Benet 55
place flattering his eyes, content he was to
yield unto the motion, and so they fell to
their meat together : and coming afterward
in the evening to the Abbey, they brought
him to the venerable father, Benet, of
whom he desired his blessing. Then the
holy man objected against him what he
had done in the way, speaking to him in
this manner : " How fell it out, brother,"
quoth he, " that the devil talking to you
" by means of your companion, could not
" at the first nor second time persuade
" you : but yet he did at the third, and
" made you do what best pleased him ? "
The good man, hearing these words, fell
down at his feet, confessing the fault of his
frailty ; and was grieved, and so much the
more ashamed of his sin, because he per-
ceived that though he were absent, that
yet he did offend in the sight of that
venerable father.
Peter. — I see well that the holy man
had in his soul the spirit of Eliseus, who
was present with his servant, Giezi, being
then absent from him.
56 Little Flowers
Chapter XIV
How the dissimulation of King Totila
was discovered and found out by-
Venerable Benet
Gregory. — You must, good Peter, for a
little while be silent, that you may know
matters yet far more important. For in
the time of the Goths, when Totila, their
king, understood that the holy man had
the spirit of prophecy, as he was going
towards his monastery, he remained in a
place somewhat far off, and beforehand
sent the father word of his coming ; to
whom answer was returned that he might
come at his pleasure. The king, as he
was a man wickedly disposed, thought he
would try whether the man of God were
a prophet, as it was reported, or no. A
certain man of his guard he had, called
Riggo, upon whom he caused his own
of St Benet 57
shoes to be put, and to be apparelled with
his other princely robes, commanding him
to go, as it were himself, to the man of
God ; and to give the better colour to this
device, he sent three to attend upon him
who especially were always about the king,
to wit, Vuldericus, Rudericus, and Blindi-
nus ; charging them, that in the presence
of the servant of God, they should be next
about him, and behave themselves in such
sort as though he had been King Totila
indeed : and that diligently they should
do unto him all other services, to the end
that both by such dutiful kind of behaviour,
as also by his purple robes, he might verily
be taken for the king himself. Riggo, fur-
nished with that brave apparel, and accom-
panied with many courtiers, came unto the
Abbey : at which time the man of God sat
a little way off, and when Riggo was come
so near that he might well understand
what the man of God said, then, in the
hearing of them all, he spake thus : " Put
"off, my good son, put off that apparel, for
" that which thou hast on is none of thine."
58
Little Flowers
Riggo, hearing this, fell straightway down
to the ground, and was very much afraid,
for presuming to go about to mock so
worthy a man : and all his attendants and
servitors fell down likewise to the earth,
and after they were up again they durst
not approach any nearer to his presence ;
but returned back to their king, telling
him with fear, how quickly they were
discovered.
J
of St Benet 59
Chapter XV
How Venerable Benet prophesied
to King Totila, and also to the
Bishop of Canosa, such things as
were afterwards to fall out
Then Totila himself, in person, went unto
the man of God ; and seeing him sitting
afar off, he durst not come near, but fell
down to the ground ; whom the holy man
(speaking to him twice or thrice) desired
to rise up, and at length came unto him,
and with his own hands lifted him up from
the earth where he lay prostrate : and then,
entering into talk, he reprehended him for
his wicked deeds, and in few words told
him all that which should befall him, say-
ing : " Much wickedness do you daily com-
" mit, and many great sins have you done :
" now at length give over your sinful Hfe.
" Into the city of Rome shall you enter,
60 Little Flowers
" and over the sea shall you pass : nine
"years shall you reign, and in the tenth
** shall you leave this mortal life." The
King, hearing these things, was wonder-
fully afraid, and desiring the holy man to
commend him to God in his prayers, he
departed : and from that time forward he
was nothing so cruel as before he had
been. Not long after he went to Rome,
sailed over into Sicily, and in the tenth
year of his reign he lost his kingdom
together with his life.
The Bishop also of Canosa used to visit
the servant of God, whom the holy man
dearly loved for his virtuous life. The
Bishop, therefore, talking with him of King
Totila, of his taking of Rome, and the de-
struction of that city, said : " This city will
" be so spoiled and ruined by him that it
" will never be more inhabited." To whom
the man of God answered : " Rome," quoth
he, "shall not utterly be destroyed by
"strangers, but shall be so shaken with
" tempest, lightnings, whirlwinds, and
" earthquakes, that it will fall to decay of
of St Benet
6t
" itself." The mysteries of which prophecy
we now behold as clear as the day : for we
see before our eyes in this very city by a
strange whirlwind the world shaken, houses
ruined, and churches overthrown, and build-
ings rotten with old age we behold daily
to fall down. True it is that Honoratus,
by whose relation I had this, saith not
that he received it from his own mouth,
but that he had it of other monks, which
did hear it themselves.
62 Little Flowers
Chapter XVI
Of a certain clergyman, whom Vener-
able Benet for a time delivered
from a devil
At the same time, a certain clergyman,
that served in the church of Aquinum,
was possessed : whom the venerable man,
Constantius, Bishop of the same city, sent
unto many places of holy martyrs for help :
but God's holy martyrs would not deliver
him, to the end that the world might know
what great grace was in the servant of
God, Benet; wherefore at length he was
brought unto him, who, praying for help to
Jesus Christ, our Lord, did forthwith cast
the old enemy out of the possessed man's
body, giving him this charge : " Go your
"way, and hereafter abstain from eating of
" flesh, and presume not to enter into holy
of St Benet 63
" orders, for whensoever you shall attempt
"any such thing, the devil again will have
"power over you." The man departed
safe and sound, and because punishment
fresh in memory useth to terrify the mind,
he observed for a time what the man of
God had given him in commandment.
But after many years, when all his seniors
were dead, and he saw his juniors preferred
before him to holy orders, he neglected
the words of the man of God, as though
forgotten through length of time, and
took upon him holy orders : whereupon
straightway the devil, that before had left
him, entered again, and never gave over
to torment him until he had separated his
soul from his body.
Peter. — This holy man, as I perceive,
did know the secret counsel of God : for he
saw that this clergyman was delivered to
the power of the devil, to the end he should
not presume to enter into holy orders.
Gregory. — Why should he not know
the secrets of God who kept the command-
ments of God : whereas the Scripture
64 Little Flowers
saith : " He that cleaveth unto our Lord is
" one spirit, with Him ? "^
Peter. — If he that cleaveth unto our
Lord be one spirit with our Lord, what is
the meaning of that which the Apostle
saith : " Who knoweth the sense of our
" Lord, or who hath been His counsellor P"^
for it seemeth very inconvenient to be
ignorant of His sense, to whom being so
united he is made one thing.
Gregory. — Holy men, in that they be
one with our Lord, are not ignorant of His
sense : for the same Apostle saith : " for
"what man knoweth those things which
"belong to man, but the spirit of man
"which is in him.^ Even so, the things
"which belong to God no man knoweth
" but the Spirit of God : " ^ and to show
also that he knew such things as belong
to God, he added straight after : " But we
" have not received the spirit of this world,
"but the spirit which is of God."^ And
for this cause he saith : " That eye hath
^ I Cor. vi. '^ Rom. xi.
3 I Cor. ii. ^ Ibid. -' Ibid.
of St Benet 65
"not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it
"ascended into the heart of man, those
" things which God hath prepared for them
" that love Him, but God hath revealed to
" us by His Spirit." ^
Peter. — If then the mysteries of God
were revealed to the same Apostle by the
Spirit of God, why did he then, in treating
of this question, set down these words
beforehand, saying : " O the depth of the
" riches of the wisdom and knowledge of
" God : how incomprehensible be His judg-
"ments, and His ways investigable ? " ^
And again, while I am thus speaking of
this matter, another question cometh to
my mind : for the prophet David said to
our Lord : " With my lips have I uttered
"all the judgments of Thy mouth," ^
wherefore, seeing it is less to know than
to utter, what is the reason that St Paul
affirmeth the judgments of God to be
incomprehensible, and yet David saith
that he did not only know them, but also
with his lips did pronounce them ?
^ I Cor. ii. - Rom. ix. ^ Psalm cxviii.
£
66 Little Flowers
Gregory. — To both these questions I
have already briefly answered, when I said
holy men, in that they be one with our
Lord, are not ignorant of the sense of our
Lord. For all such as do devoutly follow
our Lord be also by devotion one with our
Lord, and yet for all this, in that they are
laden with the burden of their corruptible
flesh, they be not with God : and so, in that
they be joined with Him they know the
secret judgments of God ; and in that they
be separated from God they know them
not : for seeing they do not as yet perfectly
penetrate His secret mysteries, they give
testimony that His judgments be incom-
prehensible. But those that do with their
soul adhere unto Him, and cleaving unto
the sayings of the Holy Scripture, or to
secret revelations, acknowledge what they
receive ; such persons both know these
things and do utter them : for those judg-
ments which God doth conceal they know
not ; and those which He doth utter they
know : and therefore the prophet David,
when he had said : " I have with my lips
of St Benet k7
" uttered all the judgments," he added
immediately, " of Thy mouth ; " as though
he should plainly say : Those judgments I
may both know and utter which I knew
Thou didst speak : for those things which
Thou dost not speak without all question
Thou dost conceal from our knowledge.
Wherefore the sayings of David and St
Paul agree together ; for the judgments of
God are incomprehensible ; and yet those
which Himself with His own mouth vouch-
safeth to speak are uttered with men's
tongues, because men may come to the
knowledge of them ; and being revealed,
they may be uttered, and by no means can
be kept secret.
Peter. — Now I see the answer to my
question. But I pray you to proceed, if
anything yet remaineth to be told of his
virtue and miracles.
68 Little Flowers
Chapter XVH
How the man of God, Benet, did
foretell the suppression of one of
his own Abbeys
A CERTAIN nobleman called Theopropus,
was by the good counsel of Benet con-
verted, who for his virtue and merit of life
was very intrinsical and familiar with him.
This man upon a day, coming into his
cell, found him weeping very bitterly, and
having expected a good while, and yet not
seeing him to make an end (for the man
of God used not in his prayers to weep,
but rather to be sad), he demanded the
cause of that his so great heaviness, to
whom he answered straightway, saying :
"All this Abbey which I have built, and
"all such things as I have made ready
" for my brethren, are by the judgment of
of St Benct 69
" Almighty God delivered to the Gentiles,
" to be spoiled and overthrown : and scarce
" could I obtain of God to have their lives
" spared that should then live in it." His
words Theopropus then heard, but we see
them to be proved most true, who know
that very Abbey to be now suppressed by
the Lombards. For not long since, in the
night time when the monks were asleep,
they entered in, and spoiled all things, but
yet not one man could they retain there ;
and so Almighty God fulfilled what He
promised to His faithful servant ; for
though He gave them the house and all
the goods, yet did He preserve their lives.
In which thing I see that Benet imitated
St Paul, whose ship, though it lost ^ all the
goods, yet, for his comfort, he had the lives
of all that were in his company bestowed
upon him, so that no one man was cast
away.
^ Acts xxxii.
70 Little Flowers
Chapter XVni
How blessed Benet knew the hiding
away of a flagon of wine
Upon a certain time, Exhilaratus, our
monk, a lay-brother, whom you know, was
sent by his master to the monastery of the
man of God, to carry him two wooden
bottles, commonly called flagons, full of
wine : who in the way, as he was going,
hid one of them in a bush for himself, and
presented the other to venerable Benet,
who took it very thankfully : and when
the man was going away, he gave him this
warning : " Take heed, my son," quoth he,
"that thou drinkest not of that flagon
" which thou hast hidden in the bush : but
" first be careful to bow it down, and thou
"shalt find what is within it." The poor
man, thus pitifully confounded by the man
of St Bcnet
71
of God, went his way, and coming back
to the place where the flagon was hidden,
and desirous to try the truth of that was
told him, as he was bowing it down, a
snake straightway leaped forth. Then
Exhilaratus perceiving what was gotten
into the wine, began to be afraid of that
wickedness which he had committed.
72 Little Flowers
Chapter XIX
How the man of God knew that one
of his monks had received certain
handkerchiefs
Not far from his Abbey there was a
village, in which very many men had, by
the sermons of Benet, been converted
from idolatry to the true faith of Christ.
Certain nuns also there were in the same
town, to whom he did often send some of
his monks to preach unto them, for the
good of their souls. Upon a day, one
that was sent, after he had made an end
of his exhortations, by the entreaty of the
nuns took certain small napkins, and hid
them for his own use in his bosom : whom,
upon his return to the Abbey, the man of
God very sharply rebuked, saying : " How
"cometh it to pass, brother, that sin is
of St Benct:
73
" entered into your bosom ? " At which
words the monk was much amazed, for he
had quite forgotten what he had put there ;
and therefore knew not any cause why he
should deserve that reprehension : where-
upon the holy man spake unto him in
plain terms, and said : " Was not I present
" when you took the handkerchiefs of the
" nuns, and put them up in your bosom
" for your own private use ? " The monk,
hearing this, fell down at his feet, and
was sorry that he had behaved himself
so indiscreetly : forth he drew those nap-
kins from his bosom, and threw them all
away.
74 Little Flowers
Chapter XX
How holy Benet knew the proud
thought of one of his monks
Upon a time, while the venerable father
was at supper one of his monks, who was
the son of a great man, held the candle :
and as he was standing there, and the other
at his meat, he began to entertain a proud
cogitation in his mind, and to speak thus
within himself: "Who is he that I thus
"wait upon at supper, and hold him the
" candle ? and who am I that I should do
" him any such service ? " Upon which
thought straightway the holy man turned
himself, and with severe reprehension spake
thus unto him : " Sign your heart, brother,
" for what is it that you say ? Sign your
" heart : " and forthwith he called another
of the monks, and bade him take the
candle out of his hands, and commanded
of St Benet
75
him to give over his waiting, and to repose
himself: who being demanded of the
monks what it was that he thought, told
them how inwardly he swelled with pride,
and what he spake against the man of
God, secretly in his own heart. Then they
all saw very well that nothing could be
hidden from venerable Bennet, seeing the
very sound of men's inward thoughts came
unto his ears.
76 Little Flowers
Chapter XXI
Of two hundred bushels of meal found
before the man of God^s cell
At another time there was a great dearth
in the same country of Campania, so that
all kind of people tasted of the misery:
and all the wheat of Benet's monastery
was spent, and likewise all the bread, so
that there remained no more than five
loaves for dinner. The venerable man,
beholding the monks sad, both rebuked
them modestly for their pusillanimity, and
again did comfort them with this promise :
" Why," quoth he, " are you so grieved in
"your minds for lack of bread? Indeed,
" to-day some want there is, but to-morrow
" you shall have plenty : " and so it fell
out ; for the next day two hundred bushels
of meal was found in sacks before his cell
door, which Almighty God sent them : but
of St Benet 77
by whom, or what means, that is unknown
to this very day : which miracle when the
monks saw, they gave God thanks, and
by this learned, in want not to make any
doubt of plenty.
Peter. — Tell me, I pray you, whether
this servant of God had always the spirit
of prophecy, when himself pleased, or only
at certain times ?
Gregory. — The spirit of prophecy doth
not always illuminate the minds of the
prophets ; because, as it is written of the
Holy Ghost that " He breatheth where He
" will," ^ so we are also to know that He
doth breathe likewise for what cause, and
when He pleaseth. And hereof it cometh,
that when King David demanded of
Nathan ^ whether he might build a temple
for the honour of God, the prophet Nathan
gave his consent, and yet afterwards
utterly forbade it. From hence likewise
it proceedeth that when Eliseus saw the
woman weeping, and knew not the cause,
he said to his servant that did trouble her :
^ St John iii. ^ j Paralip. b. xvii.
78 Little Flowers
" Let her alone, for her soul is in grief, and
" God hath concealed it from me and hath
"not told me."^ Which thing Almighty
God of great piety so disposeth : for giving
at some times the spirit of prophecy, and
at other times withdrawing it, He doth
both lift up the prophets' minds on high,
and yet doth preserve them in humility :
that by the gift of the Spirit they may
know what they are by God's grace, and
at other times, destitute of the same Spirit
may understand what they are of them-
selves.
Peter. — There is very great reason for
that you say. But, I pray you, let me
hear more of the venerable man Benet,
if there be anything else that cometh to
your remembrance.
^ 4 Kings, c. iv.
of St Benet 79
Chapter XXII
How by vision, venerable Benet dis-
posed the building of the Abbey
of Terracina
At another time he was desired by a cer-
tain virtuous man to build an abbey for
his monks, upon his ground, not far from
the city of Terracina. The holy man was
content, and appointed an Abbot and Prior,
with divers monks under them, and when
they were departing, he promised that upon
such a day he would come and show them
in what place the oratory should be made,
and where the refectory should stand, and
all the other necessary-rooms : and so they,
taking his blessing, went their way ; and
against the day appointed, which they
greatly expected, they made all such things
ready as were necessary to entertain him,
80 Little Flowers
and those that should come in his com-
pany. But the very night before, the man
of God in sleep appeared to the Abbot
and the Prior, and particularly described
to them where each place and office was to
be builded. And when they were both
risen, they conferred together what either
of them had seen in their sleep : but yet not
giving full credit to that vision, they ex-
pected the man of God himself in person,
according to his promise. But when they
saw that he came not they returned back
unto him very sorrowfully, saying : " We
" expected, father, that you should have
" come according to promise, and told us
" where each place should have been built
" which yet you did not." To whom he
answered : " Why say you so, good breth-
" ren ^ Did not I come, as I promised
" you ? " And when they asked at what
time it was : " Why," quoth he, " did not I
" appear to either of you in your sleep, and
" appoint how and where every place was
" to be builded .-* Go your way, and ac-
" cording to that platform which you then
of St Benet 81
"saw, build up the abbey." At which
words they much marvelled, and returning
back, they caused it to be builded in such
sort as they had been taught of him by
revelation.
Peter. — Gladly would I learn by what
means that could be done : to wit that he
should go so far to tell them that thing in
their sleep, which they should both hear
and know by vision.
Gregory. — Why do you, Peter, seek
out and doubt in what manner this thing
was done ? For certain it is that the soul
is of a more noble nature than the body.
And by authority of Scripture we know
that the prophet Habacuc was carried from
Judaea with that dinner which he had, and
was suddenly set in Chaldea;^ by which
meat the prophet Daniel was relieved : and
presently afterward was brought back again
to Judaea. If then, Habacuc could in a
moment, with his body, go so far, and carry
provision for another man's dinner; what
marvel is it if the holy father, Benet, ob-
^ Dan. xiv.
F
82
Little Flowers
tained grace to go in spirit, and to inform
the souls of his brethren, that were asleep,
concerning such things as were necessary :
and that, as Habacuc about corporal
meat went corporally, so Benet should go
spiritually about the despatch of spiritual
business ?
Peter. — I confess that your words have
satisfied my doubtful mind. But I would
know what manner of man he was in his
ordinary talk and conversation.
of St Benet 83
Chapter XXDI
Of certain Nuns absolved after their
death
Gregory. — His common talk, Peter, was
usually full of virtue : for his heart con-
versed so above in heaven, that no words
could in vain proceed from his mouth.
And if at any time he spake aught, yet
not as one that determined what was best
to be done, but only in a threatening man-
ner, his speech in that case was so effectual
and forcible, as though he had not doubt-
fully or uncertainly, but assuredly pro-
nounced and given sentence. For not far
from his Abbey, there lived two nuns in
a place by themselves, born of worshipful
parentage, whom a religious good man did
serve for the despatch of their outward
business. But as nobility of family doth
in some breed ignobility of mind, and
84 Little Flowers
maketh them in conversation to show less
humility, because they remember still what
superiority they had above others : even
so it was with these nuns : for they had
not yet learned to temper their tongues,
and keep them under with the bridle of
their habit ; for often did they, by their
indiscreet speech, provoke the aforesaid
religious man to anger ; who having borne
with them a long time, at length he com-
plained to the man of God, and told
him with what reproachful words they
entreated him : whereupon he sent them
by-and-by this message, saying : *' Amend
"your tongues, otherwise I do excom-
" municate you : " which sentence of ex-
communication notwithstanding, he did
not then presently pronounce against them,
but only threatened if they amended not
themselves. But they, for all this, changed
their conditions nothing at all : both which,
not long after departed this life, and were
buried in the church ; and when solemn
Mass was celebrated in the same church,
and the deacon, according to custom, said
of St Bcnct 85
with a loud voice : " If any there be that
"do not communicate, let them depart,"
the nurse, which used to give unto our
Lord an offering for them, beheld them at
that time to rise out of their graves, and to
depart the church.
Having oftentimes, at those words of the
deacon, seen them leave the church, and
that they could not tarry within, she re-
membered what message the man of God
sent them while they were yet alive. For
he told them that he did deprive them
of the communion, unless they did amend
their tongues and conditions. Then, with
great sorrow the whole matter was signified
to the man of God, who straightway with
his own hands gave an oblation, saying :
" Go your ways, and cause this to be offered
" unto our Lord for them, and they shall
" not remain any longer excommunicate : "
which oblation being offered for them, and
the deacon, as he used, crying out, that
such as did not communicate should de-
part, they were not seen any more to go
out of the church : whereby it was certain,
86 Little Flowers
that seeing they did not depart with them
which did not communicate that they had
received the communion of our Lord by
the hands of His servant.
Peter. — It is very strange that you
report : for how could he, though a vener-
able and most holy man, yet living in
mortal body, loose those souls, which
stood now before the invisible judgment
of God .?
Gregory. — Was he not yet, Peter,
mortal, that heard from our Saviour:
" Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth
" it shall be bound also in the heavens :
" and whatsoever thou shalt loose in earth
" shall be loosed also in the heavens ? " ^
Whose place of binding and loosing those
have at this time, who by faith and virtuous
life possess the place of holy government :
and to bestow such power upon earthly
men the Creator of heaven and earth de-
scended from heaven to earth : and that
flesh might judge of spiritual things, God,
Who for man's sake was made flesh, vouch-
1 St Matt. xvi.
of St Benet
87
safed to bestow upon him : for from thence
our weakness did rise up above itself, from
whence the strength of God was weakened
under itself
Peter. — For the virtue of his miracles
your words do yield a very good reason.
88 Little Flowers
Chapter XXIV
Of a boy that after his burial was
cast out of his grave
Gregory. — Upon a certain day, a young
boy that was a monk, loving his parents
more than reason would, went from the
Abbey to their house, not craving the
father's blessing beforehand, and the same
day that he came home unto them, he de-
parted this life : and being buried, his body,
the next day after, was found cast out of
the grave ; which they caused again to be
put in, and again the day following, they
found it as before. Then in great haste
they went to the man of God, fell down
at his feet, and with many tears besought
him that he would vouchsafe him that was
dead of his favour. To whom the man of
God, with his own hands delivered the
holy communion of our Lord's Body, say-
of St Bcnct
89
ing : " Go, and lay with great reverence
" this our Lord's Body upon his breast, and
" so bury him : " which when they had
done, the dead corpse after that remained
quietly in the grave. By which you per-
ceive, Peter, of what merit he was with
our Lord Jesus Christ, seeing the earth
would not give entertainment to his body,
who departed this world out of Benet's
favour.
Peter. — I perceive it very well, and do
wonderfully admire it.
90 Little Flowers
Chapter XXV
How a Monk, forsaking the Abbey,
met with a dragon in the way
Gregory. — A certain monk there was, so
inconstant and fickle of mind, that he would
needs give over the Abbey ; for which fault
of his the man of God did daily rebuke
him, and oftentimes gave him good admo-
nitions ; but yet, for all this, by no means
would he tarry amongst them, and there-
fore, continual suit he made that he might
be discharged. The venerable man, upon
a time, wearied with his importunity, in
anger bade him depart ; who was no sooner
out of the Abbey-gate, but he found a
dragon in the way, expecting him with
open mouth, which being about to devour
him, he began in great fear and trembling
to cry out aloud, saying : " Help ! help !
" for this dragon will eat me up." At
of St Bcnet
91
which noise the monks running out dragon
they saw none, but finding him there shak-
ing and trembling, they brought him back
again to the Abbey who forthwith pro-
mised, that he would never more forsake
the monastery ; and so, ever after, he con-
tinued in his profession : for by the prayers
of the holy man, he saw the dragon coming
against him, whom before, when he saw
not, he did willingly follow.
92 Little Flowers
Chapter XXVI
How holy Benet cured a boy of the
leprosy
But I must not here pass over with
silence that which I had by relation of
the honourable man, Anthony, who said
that his father's boy was so pitifully
punished with a leprosy, that all his hair
fell off, his body swelled, and filthy cor-
ruption did openly come forth. Who,
being sent by his father to the man of
God, he was by him quickly restored to
his former health.
ofJSt Benet 93
Chapter XXVII
How Benet found money miracu-
lously to relieve a poor man
Neither is that to be omitted, which one
of his disciples, called Peregrinus, used
to tell; for he said, that upon a certain
day, an honest man, who was in debt,
found no other means to help himself, but
thought it his best way to acquaint the man
of God with his necessity : whereupon he
came to the Abbey, and finding the servant
of Almighty God, gave him to understand
how he was troubled by his creditor for
twelve shillings which he did owe him.
To whom the venerable man said that him-
self had not so much money; yet giving
him comfortable words, he said : " Go your
" way, and after two days come to me
" again, for I can not presently help you : "
in which two days, after his manner, he be-
94 Little Flowers
stowed himself in prayer, and when upon
the third day the poor man came back,
there were found suddenly upon the chest
of the Abbey, which was full of corn,
thirteen shillings, which the man of God
caused to be given to him that required
but twelve, both to discharge his debt, and
also to defray his own charges.
But now will I return to speak of such
things as I had from the mouth of his own
scholars mentioned before in the beginning
of this book. A certain man there was,
who had an enemy that did notably spite
and malign him, whose damnable hatred
proceeded so far that he poisoned his
drink : which, although it killed him not,
yet did it change his skin in such sort that
it was of many colours, as though he had
been infected with a leprosy : but the man
of God restored him to his former health :
for so soon as he touched him, forthwith
all that variety of colours departed from
his body.
of St Benct 95
Chapter XXVIII
How a cruet of glass was thrown
upon the stones, and not broken
At such time as there was a great dearth
in Campania, the man of God had given
away all the wealth of the Abbey to poor
people ; so that in the cellar there was
nothing left but a little oil in a glass. A
certain sub-deacon, called Agapitus, came
unto him, instantly craving that he would
bestow a little oil upon him. Our Lord's
servant, that was resolved to give away all
upon earth, that he might find all in heaven,
commanded that oil to be given him : but
the monk that kept the cellar heard what
the father commanded yet did he not
perform it : who, inquiring, not long after,
whether he had given that which he willed,
the monk told him that he had not, adding
that if he had given it away, that there was
96 Little Flowers
not any left for the Convent. Then in an
anger he commanded others to take that
glass with the oil, and to throw it out at
the window, to the end that nothing might
remain in the Abbey contrary to obedience.
The monks did so, and threw it out at
a window under which there was a huge
downfall, full of rough and craggy stones,
upon which the glass did light, but yet
continued for all that so sound as though
it had never been thrown out at all; for
neither the glass was broken, nor any of
the oil shed. Then the man of God did
command it to be taken up again, and
whole as it was, to be given unto him that
desired it, and in the presence of the other
brethren he reprehended the disobedient
monk, both for his infidelity, and also for
his proud mind.
of St Benet 97
Chapter XXIX
How an empty barrel was filled
with oil
After which reprehension, with the rest
of his brethren, he fell to praying ; and in
the place where they were, there stood an
empty barrel with a cover upon it : and as
the holy man continued in his prayers, the
oil within did so increase that the cover
began to be lifted up, and at length fell
down ; and the oil, that was now higher
than the mouth of the barrel, began to run
over the pavement, which so soon as the
servant of God, Benet, beheld, forthwith
he gave over his prayer, and the oil like-
wise ceased to overflow the barrel. Then
did he more at large admonish that mis-
trusting and disobedient monk, that he
would learn to have faith and humility ;
who, upon so wholesome an admonition,
G
98
Little Flowers
was ashamed ; because the venerable father
had by miracle shown the power of Al-
mighty God, as before he told him when
he did first rebuke him : and so no cause
there was why any should afterward doubt
of His promise ; seeing at one and the
same time for a small glass almost empty
which he gave away, He bestowed upon
them an whole barrel full of oil.
of St Benet 99
Chapter XXX
How Benet delivered a monk from
a devil
Upon a certain time, as he was going to
the Oratory of St John, which is in the
top of the mountain, the old enemy of
mankind, upon a mule, like a physician,
met him, carrying in his hand an horn and
a mortar. And when he demanded whither
he was going : " To your monks," quoth he,
" to give them a drench." The venerable
father went forward to his prayers, and
when he had done, he returned in all haste :
but the wicked spirit found an old monk
drawing of water, into whom he entered,
and straightway cast him upon the ground,
and grievously tormented him. The man
of God, coming from his prayers, and
seeing him in such pitiful case, gave him
only a little blow with his hand, and at
JOO Little Flowers
the same instant he cast out that cruel
devil, so that he durst not any more pre-
sume to enter in.
Peter. — I would gladly know whether
he obtained always by prayer to work such
notable miracles ; or else sometimes did
them only at his will and pleasure.
Gregory. — Such as be the devout ser-
vants of God, when necessity requireth, use
to work miracles both manner of ways : so
that sometimes they effect wonderful things
by their prayers, and sometimes only by
their power and authority : for St John
saith : " So many as received Him He gave
" them power to be made the sons of God."^
They, then, that by power be the sons of
God, what marvel is it, if by power they
be able to do wonderful things. And that
both ways they work miracles, we learn of
St Peter,2 ^j^q ^y ^jg prayers did raise up
Tabitha, and by his sharp reprehension
did sentence Ananias and Saphira to death
for their lying. For we read not that in
the death of them he prayed at all, but
1 St John i. 2 Acts ix. 5.
of St Bcnct
\0\
only rebuked them for that sin which they
had committed. Certain therefore it is,
that sometimes they do these things by
power, and sometimes by prayer, for
Ananias and Saphira by a severe rebuke
St Peter deprived of life, and by prayer
restored Tabitha to life. And for proof of
this, I will now tell you of two miracles
which the faithful servant of God, Benet,
did, in which it shall appear most plainly
that he wrought the one by that power
which God gave him, and obtained the
other by virtue of his prayers.
J02 Little Flowers
Chapter XXXI
Of a country fellow, that, with the
only sight of the man of God,
was loosed from his bonds
A CERTAIN Goth there was, called Zalla,
an Arian heretic, who, in the time of King
Totila, did with such monstrous cruelty-
persecute religious men of the Catholic
Church, that what priest or monk soever
came in his presence, he never departed
alive. This man, on a certain day, set
upon rapine and pillage, pitifully tor-
mented a poor countryman, to make him
confess where his money and wealth was :
who, overcome with extremity of pain,
said that he had committed all his sub-
stance to the custody of Benet, the ser-
vant of God : and this he did to the end
that his tormentor, giving credit to his
words, might, at least for a while, surcease
of St Benet 103
from his horrible cruelty. Zalla, hearing
this, tormented him no longer : but binding
his arms fast with strong cords, drave him
before his horse, to bring him unto this
Benet, who, as he said, had his wealth
in keeping. The country fellow, thus
pinioned, and running before him, carried
him to the holy man's abbey, where he
found him sitting before the gate, reading
upon a book. Then turning back to Zalla,
that came raging after, he said : " This is
" Father Benet, of whom I told you : " who
looking upon him, in a great fury, think-
ing to deal as terribly with him as he had
with others, cried out aloud to him, say-
ing : " Rise up, sirrah, rise up, and deliver
** me quickly such wealth as thou hast of
" this man's in keeping." The man of God,
hearing such a noise, straightway lifted up
his eyes from reading, and beheld both
him and the country fellow ; and turning
his eyes to his bands, very strangely they
fell from his arms, and that so quickly as
no man with any haste could have undone
them. Zalla, seeing him so wonderfully
104 Little Flowers
and quickly loosed, fell straight a-tremb-
ling, and prostrating himself upon the
earth, bowed down his cruel and stiff neck
to the holy man's feet, and with humility
did commend himself to his prayers. But
the venerable man, for all this, rose not up
from his reading, but calling for some of
his monks, commanded them to have him
in, and to give him some meat. And when
he was brought back again he gave him a
good lesson, admonishing him not to use
any more such rigour and cruel dealing.
His proud mind thus taken down, away
he went, but durst not demand after that
anything of the country fellow, whom the
man of God, not with hands, but only with
his eyes, had loosed from his bands. And
this is that, Peter, which I told you, that
those which in a more familiar sort serve
God, do sometimes, by a certain power
and authority bestowed upon them, work
miracles. For he that, sitting still, did
appease the fury of that cruel Goth and
unloose with his eyes those knots and
cords which did pinion the innocent man's
of St Benet
105
arms, did plainly show by the quickness of
the miracle that he had received power to
work all that which he did. And now
will I l.i'rewise tell you of another miracle,
which by prayer he obtained at God's
hands.
J 06 Little Flowers
Chapter XXXII
How by Prayer Venerable Benet
raised up a dead child
Being upon a day gone out with his
monks to work in the field, a countryman
carrying the corpse of his dead son came
to the gate of the Abbey, lamenting the
loss of his child ; and inquiring for holy
Benet, they told him that he was abroad
with his monks in the field. Down at the
gate he laid the dead body, and with great
sorrow of soul ran in haste to seek out the
venerable father. At the same time, the
man of God was returning homeward from
work with his monks, whom so soon as he
saw, he began to cry out : " Give me my
" son — give me my son ! " The man of
God, amazed at these words, stood still
and said : " What ! have I taken away
" your son ? " " No, no " (quoth the sorrow-
of St Benet 107
ful father), " but he is dead : come for
"Christ Jesus' sake and restore him to
"life." The servant of God, hearing him
speak in that manner, and seeing his
monks upon compassion to solicit the poor
man's suit, with great sorrow of mind he
said : " Away, my good brethren, away :
" such miracles are not for us to work, but
" for the blessed Apostles : why will you lay
"such a burden upon me as my weakness
" cannot bear ? " But the poor man, whom
excessive grief enforced, would not give
over his petition, but swore that he would
never depart except he did raise up his son.
*' Where is he, then?" quoth God's servant:
he answered that his body lay at the gate
of the Abbey : to which place when the
man of God came with his monks, he knelt
down and lay upon the body of the little
child, and rising, he held up his hands
towards heaven, and said : " Behold not,
"O Lord, my sins, but the faith of this
" man, that desireth to have his son raised
" to life : and restored that soul to the
" body which Thou hast taken away." He
108 Little Flowers
had scarce spoken these words, and behold
the soul returned back again, and therewith
the child's body began to tremble in such
sort that all which were present did behold
it in strange manner to pant and shake.
Then he took it by the hand, and gave it to
his father, but alive and in health. Certain
it is, Peter, that this miracle was not in
his own power, for which prostrate upon
the ground he prayed so earnestly.
Peter. — All is most true that before
you said, for what you affirmed in words
you have now verified by examples and
works. But tell me, I beseech you,
whether holy men can do all such things
as they please, and obtain at God's hands
whatsoever they desire.
of St Benet 109
Chapter XXXIII
Of a Miracle wrought by his Sister^
Scholastica
Gregory. — What man is there, Peter, in
this world, that is in greater favour with
God than St Paul was? who yet three
times desired our Lord to be delivered
from the pricks of the flesh, and obtained
not his petition.^ Concerning which point
also, I must needs tell you, how there
was one thing which the venerable father
Benet would have done, and yet he could
not. For his sister, called Scholastica,
dedicated from her infancy to our Lord,
used once a year to come and visit her
brother. To whom the man of God went
not far from the gate, to a place that did
belong to the Abbey, there to give her
entertainment. And she, coming thither
^ 2 Cor. xii.
no Little Flowers
on a time, according to her custom, her
venerable brother with his monks went to
meet her, where they spent the whole day
in the praises of God and spiritual talk,
and when it was almost night they supped
together, and as they were yet sitting at
the table, talking of devout matters, and
darkness came on, the holy nun, his sister,
entreated him to stay there all night, that
they might spend it in discoursing of the
joys of heaven. But by no persuasion
would he agree unto that, saying that he
might not by any means tarry all night
out of his Abbey. At that time the sky
was so clear that no cloud was to be seen.
The nun, receiving this denial of her
brother, joining her hands together, laid
them upon the table ; and so, bowing down
her head upon them, she made her prayers
to Almighty God, and lifting her head
from the table, there fell suddenly such
a tempest of lightning and thundering,
and such abundance of rain, that neither
venerable Benet nor his monks that were
with him, could put their head out of
of St Benet Ml
doors : for the holy nun resting her head
upon her hands, poured forth such a flood
of tears upon the table that she drew the
clear air to a watery sky, so that after the
end of her devotions, that storm of rain
followed ; and her prayer and the rain did
so meet together, that as she lifted up her
head from the table, the thunder began,
so that in one and the very same instant
she lifted up her head and brought down
the rain. The man of God, seeing that he
could not by reason of such thunder and
lightning, and great abundance of rain,
return back to his Abbey, began to be
heavy, and to complain of his sister, say-
ing : " God forgive you, what have you
" done ? " to whom she answered : " I
" desired you to stay, and you would not
" hear me ; I have desired our good Lord,
"and He hath vouchsafed to grant my
" petition : wherefore if you can now depart,
" in God's name return to your monastery,
" and leave me here alone." But the good
father, not being able to go forth, tarried
there against his will, where willingly before
n2 Little Flowers
he would not stay. And so by that means
they watched all night, and with spiritual
and heavenly talk did mutually comfort
one another : and therefore, by this we see,
as I said before, that he would have that
thing which yet he could not : for if we
respect the venerable man's mind, no ques-
tion but he would have had the same fair
weather to have continued as it was when
he set forth, but he found that a miracle
did prevent his desire, which by the power
of Almighty God a woman's prayers had
wrought. And it is not a thing to be
marvelled at that a woman which of long
time had not seen her brother, might do
more at that time than he could, seeing
according to the saying of St John,^ " God
"is charity." and therefore of right she
did more which loved more.
Peter. — I confess that I am wonder-
fully pleased with that which you tell me.
1 I St John iv.
of St Benet US
Chapter XXXIV
How Benet saw the Soul of his Sister
ascend into heaven
Gregory. — The next day the venerable
woman returned to her nunnery, and the
man of God to his Abbey : who three days
after, standing in his cell, and lifting up
his eyes to heaven, beheld the soul of his
sister, which was departed from her body,
in the likeness of a dove to ascend into
heaven : who rejoicing much to see her
great glory, with hymns and lauds gave
thanks to Almighty God, and did impart
the news of this her death to his monks,
whom also he sent presently to bring her
corpse to his Abbey, to have it buried in
that grave which he provided for himself.
By means whereof it fell out that as their
souls were always one in God whilst they
lived, so their bodies continued together
after their death.
H
114 Little Flowers
Chapter XXXV
How he saw the whole world repre-
sented before his eyes, and also
the soul of Germanus, Bishop of
Capua, ascending to heaven
At another time, Servandus, the deacon,
and Abbot of that monastery, which in
times past was founded by the noble man
Liberius, in the country of Campania, used
ordinarily to come and visit the man of
God : and the reason why he came so often
was because himself also was a man full
of heavenly doctrine ; and so they two had
often together spiritual conference, to the
end that albeit they could not perfectly feed
upon the celestial food of heaven, yet, by
means of such sweet discourses, they might
at least, with longing and fervent desire,
taste of those joys and divine delights.
When it was time to go to rest, the vener-
able father Benet reposed himself in the
of St Benet US
top of a tower, at the foot whereof Ser-
vandus the deacon was lodged, so that one
pair of stairs went to them both : before
the tower there was a certain large room
in which both their disciples did lie. The
man of God, Benet, being diligent in
watching, rose up early, before the time of
matins (his monks being yet at rest), and
came to the window of his chamber, where
he offered up his prayers to Almighty God.
Standing there, all on a sudden, in the
dead of the night, as he looked forth, he
saw a light which banished away the dark-
ness of the night, and glittered with such
brightness, that the light which did shine
in the midst of the darkness was far more
clear than the light of the day. Upon this
sight a marvellous strange thing followed,
for as himself did afterward report, the
whole world, gathered as it were together
under one beam of the sun, was presented
before his eyes, and whilst the venerable
father stood attentively beholding the
brightness of that glittering light, he saw
the soul of Germanus, Bishop of Capua, in
n6 Little Flowers
a fiery globe to be carried up by Angels
into heaven. Then, desirous to have some
witness of this so notable a miracle, he
called with a very loud voice Servandus
the Deacon, twice or thrice by his name,
who, troubled at such an unusual crying
out of the man of God, went up in all
haste, and looking forth, saw not anything
else but a little remnant of the light, but
wondering at so great a miracle, the man
of God told him all in order what he had
seen, and sending by-and-by to the town
of Cassino, he commanded the religious
man, Theopropus, to despatch one that
night to the city of Capua, to learn what
was become of Germanus their Bishop ;
which being done, the messenger found
that reverend Prelate departed this life;
and inquiring curiously the time, he under-
stood that he died at that very instant in
which the man of God beheld him ascend-
ing up to heaven.
Peter. — A strange thing, and very much
to be admired. But whereas you say that
the whole world, as it were under one sun-
of St Benet U7
beam, was presented before his eyes, as I
must needs confess that in myself I never
had experience of any such thing, so
neither can I conceive by what means the
whole world can be seen of any one man.
Gregory. — Assure yourself, Peter, of
that which I speak, to wit, that all crea-
tures be, as it were, nothing, to that soul
which beholdeth the Creator : for though it
see but a glimpse of that light which is in
the Creator, yet very small do all things
seem that be created : for by means of that
supernatural light the capacity of the in-
ward soul is enlarged, and is in God so ex-
tended that it is far above the world : yea,
and the soul of him that seeth in this manner
is also above itself; for being rapt up in the
light of God, it is inwardly in itself enlarged
above itself; and when it is so exalted,
and looketh downward, then doth it com-
prehend how little all that is which before
in former baseness it could not comprehend.
The man of God, therefore, who saw
the fiery globe, and the Angels returning
to heaven, out of all doubt could not see
nS Little Flowers
those things but in the light of God : what
marvel, then, is it, if he saw the world
gathered together before him, who, rapt
up in the light of his soul, was at that
time out of the world. But albeit we say
that the world was gathered together be-
fore his eyes, yet heaven and earth were
not drawn into any lesser room than they
be of themselves, but the soul of the be-
holder was more enlarged, which, rapt in
God, might without difficulty see that
which is under God, and therefore in that
light which appeared to his outward eyes,
the inward light which was in his soul
ravished the mind of the beholder to
supernal things, and showed him how small
all earthly things were.
Peter. — I perceive now that it was more
to my profit that I understood you not be-
fore : seeing, by reason of my slow capacity,
you have delivered so notable an exposi-
tion. But now, because you have made
me thoroughly to understand these things,
I beseech you to continue on your former
narration.
of St Benet U?
Chapter XXXVI
How holy Benet wrote a rule for
his monks
Desirous I am, Peter, to tell you many
things of this venerable father, but some
of purpose I let pass, because I make haste
to treat also of the acts of other holy men :
yet I would not have you to be ignorant,
but that the man of God amongst so many
miracles for which he was so famous in the
world, was also sufficiently learned in divi-
nity, for he wrote a rule for his monks,
both excellent for discretion, and also
eloquent for the style. Of whose life and
conversation, if any be curious to know
further, he may in the institution of that
rule understand all his manner of life and
discipline : for the holy man could not
otherwise teach than himself lived.
120 Little Flowers
Chapter XXXVII
How venerable Benet did prophesy-
to his monks the time of his own
death
The same year in which he departed this
life he told the day of his holy death to
his monks, some of which did live daily
with him, and some dwelt far off, willing
those that were present to keep it secret,
and telling those that were absent by
what token they should know that he
was dead. Six days before he left this
world he gave orders to have his sepulchre
opened, and forthwith falling into an ague,
he began with burning heat to wax faint ;
and whenas the sickness daily increased,
upon the sixth day he commanded his
monks to carry him into the oratory, where
he did arm himself with receiving the
Body and Blood of our Saviour, Christ ;
of St Benet \2\
and having his weak body holden up be-
twixt the hands of his disciples, he stood
with his own lifted up to heaven ; and
as he was in that manner praying, he
gave up the ghost. Upon which day, two
monks, one being in his cell, and the other
far distant, had concerning him, one and
the self-same vision : for they saw all the
way from the holy man's cell, towards the
east even up to heaven, hung and adorned
with tapestry, and shining with an infinite
number of lamps ; at the top whereof a
man reverently attired stood, and de-
manded if they knew who passed that
way ; to whom they answered, saying that
they knew not. Then he spake unto them,
" This is the way (quoth he), by which
" the beloved servant of God, Benet, is
"ascended up to heaven." And by this
means, as his monks that were present
knew of the death of the holy man, so
likewise they which were absent by the
token which he foretold them, had intelli-
gence of the same thing. Buried he was
in the oratory of St John the Baptist, which
122
Little Flowers
himself built when he overthrew the altar
of Apollo ; who also in that cave in which
he first dwelt, even to this very time, work-
eth miracles, if the faith of them that pray
requireth the same.
of St Benet J23
Chapter XXXVIII
How a mad woman was cured in
his cave
For the thing which I mean now to
rehearse, fell out lately. A certain woman
falling mad, lost the use of reason so far,
that she walked up and down, day and
night, in the mountains and valleys, in
woods and fields, and rested only in that
place where extreme weariness enforced
her to stay. Upon a day, it so fell out,
that albeit she wandered at random, yet
she missed not the right way, for she came
to the cave of the blessed man Benet :
and not knowing anything, in she went,
and reposed herself there that night ; and
rising up in the morning she departed as
sound in sense and well in her wits, as
124 Little Flowers
though she had never been distracted in
her whole life, and so continued always
after, even to her dying day.
Peter. — What is the reason that in
the patronage of martyrs we oftentimes
find that they do not afford so great
benefits by their bodies as they do by
other of their relics, and do there work
greater miracles where themselves be not
present ?
Gregory. — Where the holy martyrs lie
in their bodies, there is no doubt, Peter,
but that they are able to work many mira-
cles, yea, and also do work infinite, to
such as seek them with a pure mind. But
forasmuch as simple people might have
some doubt whether they be present, and
do in those places hear their prayers where
their bodies be not, necessary it is that
they should in those places show greater
miracles where weak souls may most doubt
of their presence. But he whose mind is
fixed in God hath so much the greater
merit of his faith, in that he both knoweth
that they rest not there in body, and yet
of St Bcnet 125
be there present to hear our prayers. And
therefore our Saviour Himself, to increase
the faith of His disciples, said : " If I do
" not depart, the Comforter will not come
" unto you : " ^ for, seeing that it is certain
that the comforting Spirit doth always
proceed from the Father and the Son,
why doth the Son say that He will de-
part, that the Comforter may come, Who
never is absent from the Son? But be-
cause the disciples, beholding our Lord in
the flesh, did always desire to see Him
with their corporal eyes, very well did
He say unto them : " Unless I do go
" away the Comforter will not come : "
as though He had plainly told them :
If I do not withdraw My Body, I cannot
let you understand what the love of the
Spirit is : and except you give over to
love my carnal Presence, never will you
learn to affect me with true spiritual
love.
Peter. — What you say pleaseth me
very well.
^ St John xvi.
126
Little Flowers of St Benet
Gregory. — Let us now for a while give
over our discourse, to the end that if we
mean to prosecute the miracles of other
saints, we may through silence be the more
able to perform it.
TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.
^
HOME USE
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT
MAIN LIBRARY
„enewaUa»drecH..es-y^ben.ade4d,,spn.^
^HlL^
mii??5-TT|;;;;7^9 ^9
Ii£ILiiLJ2B
LD21 — A-40m-5,'74
(R8l91li)
General Library
University of California
Berkeley
U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES
Miinii
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11